WHILE Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha today (August 16, 2018) left Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan out of the new Center for National Anti-Corruption Committee (CNAC), he also said that this move has nothing to do with the luxury watches scandal, Thai News Agency reported
Gen Prayut used his authority as head of National Council for Peace and Order to install a new CNAC in which Deputy Prime Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikulya replaced Gen Prawit as adviser.
Nevertheless he explained that this move had nothing to do with Gen Prawit undergoing an investigation about luxury watches and assets declaration by National Anti-Corruption Commission.
“I am not interested in the watches investigation, whichever agency is duty-bound and responsible for it, that agency then has to carry it out, I am not going to interfere with whatever result emerges,” the Prime Minister said.
“Regarding restructuring CNAC, there is nothing much to it, it is a reduction of what Gen Prawit is responsible for, he is responsible for 50 committees, and this will give him time to attend the meetings of other committees and be more effective.
“Now Gen Chatchai does not have any responsibility in this area so I gave it to him instead.
“I reiterate that there are no other problems, this is not related to the government’s image and would the media not think this way,” he added.
CAPTIONS:
Top: File photo shows Gen Prawit (right) wearing a luxury watch.
In-text: Prime Minister Prayut talking to the press today. Photo: Thai News Agency